Columns

Luke's account of Jesus' birth records two songs spoken by two different women at their meeting in the hill country of Judea.

The first song was spoken by Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. When Mary, the mother of Jesus, visited Zacharias and Elizabeth at their home, John leaped for joy in his mother's womb at Mary's words of greeting.

The constitutional conundrum that South Carolina will face if Nikki Haley is confirmed as United Nations ambassador is evidence of at least one thing: Our legislators take a casual approach to the rule of law.
How did we get to this point? The amendment to the state constitution that voters approved in 2012 specified that it would take effect in 2018. But when the bill to ratify the amendment was filed in the Senate in 2013, it left out a key portion – which changed the effective date. Here is what happened:

Editor’s note: Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) sent a letter last week to top officials of the Smithsonian Institution and the new National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington. Here are excerpts:

I write to thank and congratulate you and the entire team of individuals who helped create the awe-inspiring Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Memory Lane Cruisers was incorporated in 1998 as a local club for car enthusiasts who wanted to display classic (and newer) cars.
You did not have to own a classic car to be a member. You just needed to love cars.
The club was also a way for car enthusiasts to give back to the community. We met once a month to fellowship and conduct business.
The club has held monthly cruise-ins from March until October of each year at different places including Heath Springs, the Sonic, Chick-fil-A, Barry’s Classic Grill, and Hwy 55 Burgers Fries and Shakes.

Since Donald Trump was elected, the phase “drain the swamp” has become media/political shorthand for all the changes that he is going to bring to politics as usual in D.C.
Although I didn’t vote for him, I do absolutely believe that there needs to be a lot of swamp draining in D.C. – and this got me to thinking about swamp draining in S.C. as well.

Back in February when Voters for a Town of Indian Land first announced its plans to swallow up our peaceful and splendidly isolated community (Van Wyck), a committee was quickly formed to combat its intentions. We essentially formed a board comprised of heads of various quickly formed committees that worked on various aspects of countering IL’s attack. Rosa and I co-chaired that board, whose purpose was to launch a three-pronged counter-attack to the IL group’s intentions.

“Christmastime is here, happiness and cheer” as the Peanuts crew sang on their traditional half-hour special.
A season of feasting and gift giving, of joy to the world and school vacation days. There will be pageants and cantatas and houses made up to look like candy-cane castles.
It is a magical time of year that is supposed to bring people together, but it also opens the door for scrooges and Grinches who seem to revel only in bubble bursting or maintaining the true meaning of Christmas.

With the state pension system underfunded by billions of dollars and getting worse every day, how is it that non-state agencies are being allowed into the public pension system?
That’s exactly what’s happening in South Carolina.
State employees can participate in the system, of course. That’s what it’s designed for. But the purpose gets murkier when others join in, such as special-interest groups and their lobbyists.

What might have been. These words often haunt us as we look back at decisions we’ve made. A single decision can sometimes save thousands of lives or cost millions.
Seventy-five years ago, the Japanese Navy sent warplanes from its carriers to destroy American forces stationed at Pearl Harbor. Our country was not at war with Japan. In fact, we were negotiating for peace.
Japan’s forces came in two waves. The first wave came literally out of the blue, and our sailors and soldiers could do little more than scramble to meet it.